Method for controlling a vehicle in accordance with parameters preferred by an identified driver

ABSTRACT

A method for controlling a vehicle includes providing a plurality of sensors at an equipped vehicle, capturing, via the plurality of sensors, data, and determining, via processing by a data processor of data captured by at least some of the plurality of sensors, information pertaining to distance to other vehicles present exterior the equipped vehicle. Information is determined pertaining to lane geometry of a lane of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling. Information is provided pertaining to at least one of (i) acceleration of the equipped vehicle, (ii) braking of the equipped vehicle and (iii) steering of the equipped vehicle. Information is provided identifying a driver operating the equipped vehicle. Responsive to identification of the driver operating the equipped vehicle, the equipped vehicle is controlled in accordance with a personalized parameter set for the identified driver and in accordance with data processing by the data processor.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. patent applicationSer. No. 14/675,927, filed Apr. 1, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,623,878,which claims the filing benefits of U.S. provisional application Ser.No. 61/973,922, filed Apr. 2, 2014, which is hereby incorporated hereinby reference in its entirety.

TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to driver assistance systems,and more particularly to personalized autonomous driving systems whichlearn driver habits.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Use of imaging sensors in vehicle imaging systems is common and known.

Examples of such known systems are described in U.S. Pat. Nos.5,949,331; 5,670,935 and/or 5,550,677, which are hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention provides a driver assistance system that includesa personalization algorithm or system or process that learns thepreferences or driving behavior of a particular driver and adapts oradjusts or modifies parameters of the driver assistance system so thatthe driver assistance system controls the vehicle in a manner similar tothe manner that the particular driver controls the vehicles in similardriving conditions. The system is responsive to a determination oridentification of a particular driver and to a determination of the roadand/or driving conditions. Thus, when the driver assistance system (suchas an adaptive cruise control system or the like) is activated, thesystem may control the acceleration/deceleration/steering of the vehiclein a manner that is preferred by the particular driver.

These and other objects, advantages, purposes and features of thepresent invention will become apparent upon review of the followingspecification in conjunction with the drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a vehicle equipped with a driverassistance system of the present invention;

FIG. 2 shows an exemplary personalized autonomous cruise control systemin accordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 3 is a pseudo code listing showing an exemplary personalizationalgorithm for an autonomous cruise control system.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

A vehicle driver assist system and/or vision system and/or objectdetection system and/or alert system may utilize one or more sensors atthe vehicle, such as one or more cameras that operate to capture imagesexterior of the vehicle, whereby an image processor may process thecaptured image data such as for displaying images and/or for detectingobjects or the like at or near the vehicle and in the predicted path ofthe vehicle, such as to assist a driver of the vehicle in maneuveringthe vehicle in a forward and/or rearward direction.

Referring now to the drawings and the illustrative embodiments depictedtherein, a vehicle 10 includes a driver assistance system 12 that mayinclude at least one exterior facing imaging sensor or camera, such as aforward facing camera 14 (optionally, the system may include a rearwardfacing imaging sensor or camera and may optionally include multipleexterior facing imaging sensors or cameras, such as a forwardly facingcamera at the front (or at the windshield) of the vehicle, and asidewardly/rearwardly facing camera at respective sides of the vehicle,which capture images exterior of the vehicle (FIG. 1). The camera has alens for focusing images at or onto an imaging array or imaging plane orimager of the camera. The driver assistance system includes a control orelectronic control unit (ECU) or processor that is operable to processimage data captured by the cameras (or to process other data captured byother sensors of the vehicle) and may provide displayed images at adisplay device for viewing by the driver of the vehicle. The datatransfer or signal communication from the camera to the ECU may compriseany suitable data or communication link, such as a vehicle network busor the like of the equipped vehicle.

Autonomous or Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) Systems are known to controlthe longitudinal distance between a host vehicle and a target vehicle.Such systems comprise sensors and control algorithms to controlacceleration or deceleration of the host vehicle. Suitable sensors todetect a preceding vehicle are for example a radar sensor, a lidarsensor, a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

Lane Keep Assist (LKA) Systems are known to control the lateral positionof a host vehicle as it approaches a lane marking. Such systems comprisesensors and control algorithms to applying torque to the steeringsystem. Suitable sensors to detect lane markings are a monocular cameraor a stereo camera.

Lane Centering (LC) Systems are known to control the lateral position ofa host vehicle within a lane. Such systems comprise sensors and controlalgorithms to applying torque to the steering system. Suitable sensorsto detect lane markings are a monocular camera or a stereo camera.

Existing systems may provide limited ability to adjust to a driver'spreference. For example, an autonomous cruise control system may offer a“near”, “mid” and “far” setting to adjust a following target distance.However, such adjustments are limited, and do not reflect the wide rangeof individual driving preferences by human drivers.

Referring to FIGS. 2 and 3, an exemplary personalized autonomous cruisecontrol system is shown. A personalization algorithm 16 is providedwithin a suitable embedded control module. Preferably, thepersonalization algorithm 16 is embedded in the same module as theautonomous cruise control algorithms. The personalization algorithm 16receives various inputs. Firstly, the personalization algorithm 16 is incommunication with the autonomous or adaptive cruise control (ACC)system 18. From the autonomous cruise control system 18, thepersonalization algorithm 16 receives information about whether theautonomous cruise control system is enabled or disabled (in other words,whether acceleration of the vehicle is controlled by the driver or bythe ACC system 18). If ACC is active, the information from the ACCsystem 18 further comprises the currently requested acceleration. Theterm “acceleration” is here used to refer to both positive and negativeacceleration (in other words, it includes deceleration).

The personalization algorithm 16 is further in communication withenvironment sensors, such as a machine vision camera 14 (such as theforward facing camera 14 in FIG. 1). The machine vision camera 14 isadapted to sense and communicate information about the surrounding ofthe host vehicle. Such information includes, for example, the distanceand relative velocity to a preceding vehicle (ahead of the subject orequipped vehicle). Optionally, such information may include informationabout whether it is daytime, twilight, or nighttime or whether it is dryor raining or snowing or the like. The information may further includeinformation about traffic signs that have been passed, and may indicatea speed limit that may apply. The information may also includeinformation about road surface characteristics, such as whether the roadsurface is smooth or bumpy, possibly estimating a friction coefficientof the road. The information may further comprise information about lanegeometry. Lane geometry may be communicated in the form of a polynomialrepresentation of the lanes ahead of the host vehicle, and can be usedto determine, for example, the width of the lane the host vehicle istravelling in, or the curvature of the road ahead of the vehicle.

The personalization algorithm 16 is further in communication withvehicle sensors that communicate the present state of the vehicle, whichis ultimately determined by a driver 22. Such sensors may include, forexample, accelerator pedal position and brake pedal position. They mayinclude a steering angle sensor or steering wheel angle sensor. They mayfurther include information identifying the driver, such as, forexample, by determining which seat position has been selected in amemory seat module or the like. Information may also include wiperstatus or outside temperature.

The personalization algorithm 16 processes data received via variousinputs to create a personalized parameter set 20 for the adaptive cruisecontrol system. The personalized parameter set 20 comprises parametersthat determine the ACC system's response to particular drivingscenarios. The personalized parameter set 20 may comprise, for example,a following gap parameter that determines at what time gap the hostvehicle follows a preceding vehicle. Traditionally, ACC systems allowadjustment of the following gap in predetermined steps, such as, forexample, a “near” setting, a “mid” setting and a “far” setting. Here,the following gap parameter is more flexible, allowing, for example, afollowing gap preference to be adjustable between a lower threshold ofabout 0.7 seconds or thereabouts and an upper threshold of about threeseconds or thereabouts.

The personalized parameter set 20 may also comprise parameters thatdetermine how rapidly the host vehicle accelerates if a precedingvehicle changes lanes and is no longer relevant, or how aggressively thehost vehicle decelerated after a cut-in of another vehicle into the hostvehicle's lane. The personalized parameter set may also compriseparameters that determine how an ACC target speed is adjusted dependingon the radius of an upcoming curve.

Traditionally, adjusting ACC parameters is done by calibrationengineers, who tune a “one size fits all” parameter set for a givenvehicle. The present invention may utilize such a default setting, butallows for personalized changes to the personalized parameter set as thepersonalization algorithm 16 learns the behavior of the driver 22. Thislearning may occur while the driver is driving manually (in other words,not using ACC). During manual driving, the personalization algorithm 16will observe or monitor the driver's behavior in predetermined drivingsituations. For example, the personalization algorithm may calculate anaverage time gap at which the driver 22 is following a preceding vehiclewhile driving on a wide road during daytime in the rain. This averagemay be stored in the parameter set 20 and used when using the ACC systemis used in similar driving conditions.

Learning may also occur while the ACC system is active, such as when thedriver is overriding the ACC system's acceleration. For example, thedriver may manually accelerate more aggressively, after a precedingvehicle has left the host vehicle lane. In that case, thatpersonalization algorithm 16 may, over time, adjust the correspondingparameter in the parameter set 20, to allow the ACC system to use moreaggressive acceleration in similar situations.

Optionally, the system may provide personalization or customization ofparameters of a lane keep assist system or lane departure warning systemor lane centering system or the like. The personalization algorithm mayallow the driver to establish preferences as to how the vehicle travelsin and along a lane and/or how the system provides or generates an alertwhen the vehicle moves towards an edge or lane marker of the travelledlane or the like. For example, the system may, responsive toidentification of a particular driver and that driver's preferences,adjust the threshold level at which an alert is generated as the vehiclemoves towards a lane marker or out of a lane in which the vehicle istraveling or adjust the threshold level at which a steering adjustmentis made as the vehicle moves towards a lane marker or out of a lane inwhich the vehicle is traveling.

Therefore, the present invention provides a customizable or personalizeddriver assistance system, such as a customizable or personalizedadaptive cruise control system. The system monitors a particulardriver's driving behavior in various driving conditions and stores tomemory different driving maneuvers that the driver typically undertakesin particular driving conditions (such as rapid acceleration when apreceding vehicle leaves the subject vehicle's lane when the road issubstantially dry). The system stores various driver behaviors undervarious driving conditions, road conditions, weather conditions and/orthe like, so that when the driver uses the ACC system of the vehicle,the ACC system tends to accelerate/decelerate/drive the vehicle likethat particular driver (and not necessarily like the default ACC systemsettings). Thus, responsive to the system identifying the particulardriver (such as via a user input or selection or image processing ofimage data captured by a cabin monitoring cabin to recognize thedriver's face or the like), the system may adjust the ACC parameters(and/or parameters of other driver assistance system or systems of thevehicle) to control the various driver assistance systems or accessoriesto the driver's preference. For example, the system may adjust thecontrol of the vehicle brakes, steering and/or accelerator (such as whenthe ACC system is activated) and/or may adjust an intermittentwindshield wiper setting or the like to generally match the driver'spreferences as learned by the system.

The system may be at least responsive to weather conditions and/or roadconditions so that the adjusted parameters are appropriate for theparticular driver and for the particular driving conditions beingexperienced by the driver and vehicle. The system may include limitsthat limit how far the system may adjust the parameters to maintainsafety during use of the ACC system. For example, if the driver tends tofollow very closely behind preceding vehicles, the system will notadjust the ACC system to follow the preceding vehicle at an unsafedistance.

The system may use one or more cameras to monitor the road and/orweather conditions and/or the like. The camera or sensor may compriseany suitable camera or sensor. Optionally, the camera may comprise a“smart camera” that includes the imaging sensor array and associatedcircuitry and image processing circuitry and electrical connectors andthe like as part of a camera module, such as by utilizing aspects of thevision systems described in International Publication Nos. WO2013/081984 and/or WO 2013/081985, which are hereby incorporated hereinby reference in their entireties.

The system includes an image processor operable to process image datacaptured by the camera or cameras, such as for detecting objects orother vehicles or pedestrians or the like in the field of view of one ormore of the cameras. For example, the image processor may comprise anEyeQ2 or EyeQ3 image processing chip available from Mobileye VisionTechnologies Ltd. of Jerusalem, Israel, and may include object detectionsoftware (such as the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,855,755;7,720,580 and/or 7,038,577, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties), and may analyze image data to detectvehicles and/or other objects. Responsive to such image processing, andwhen an object or other vehicle is detected, the system may generate analert to the driver of the vehicle and/or may generate an overlay at thedisplayed image to highlight or enhance display of the detected objector vehicle, in order to enhance the driver's awareness of the detectedobject or vehicle or hazardous condition during a driving maneuver ofthe equipped vehicle.

The vehicle may include any type of sensor or sensors, such as imagingsensors or radar sensors or lidar sensors or ladar sensors or ultrasonicsensors or the like. The imaging sensor or camera may capture image datafor image processing and may comprise any suitable camera or sensingdevice, such as, for example, a two dimensional array of a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in at least 640 columns and 480 rows (atleast a 640×480 imaging array, such as a megapixel imaging array or thelike), with a respective lens focusing images onto respective portionsof the array. The photosensor array may comprise a plurality ofphotosensor elements arranged in a photosensor array having rows andcolumns. Preferably, the imaging array has at least 300,000 photosensorelements or pixels, more preferably at least 500,000 photosensorelements or pixels and more preferably at least 1 million photosensorelements or pixels. The imaging array may capture color image data, suchas via spectral filtering at the array, such as via an RGB (red, greenand blue) filter or via a red/red complement filter or such as via anRCC (red, clear, clear) filter or the like. The logic and controlcircuit of the imaging sensor may function in any known manner, and theimage processing and algorithmic processing may comprise any suitablemeans for processing the images and/or image data.

For example, the vision system and/or processing and/or camera and/orcircuitry may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,005,974;5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,796,094; 5,949,331; 6,222,447; 6,302,545;6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202; 6,201,642; 6,690,268;6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452; 6,822,563; 6,891,563;6,946,978; 7,859,565; 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 6,636,258; 7,145,519;7,161,616; 7,230,640; 7,248,283; 7,295,229; 7,301,466; 7,592,928;7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577; 6,882,287; 5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772,and/or International Publication Nos. WO 2011/028686; WO 2010/099416; WO2012/061567; WO 2012/068331; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/103193; WO2012/0116043; WO 2012/0145313; WO 2012/0145501; WO 2012/145818; WO2012/145822; WO 2012/158167; WO 2012/075250; WO 2012/0116043; WO2012/0145501; WO 2012/154919; WO 2013/019707; WO 2013/016409; WO2013/019795; WO 2013/067083; WO 2013/070539; WO 2013/043661; WO2013/048994; WO 2013/063014, WO 2013/081984; WO 2013/081985; WO2013/074604; WO 2013/086249; WO 2013/103548; WO 2013/109869; WO2013/123161; WO 2013/126715; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO 2013/158592, whichare all hereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties. Thesystem may communicate with other communication systems via any suitablemeans, such as by utilizing aspects of the systems described inInternational Publication Nos. WO/2010/144900; WO 2013/043661 and/or WO2013/081985, and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0062743, which arehereby incorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The imaging device and control and image processor and any associatedillumination source, if applicable, may comprise any suitablecomponents, and may utilize aspects of the cameras and vision systemsdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,877,897; 6,498,620; 5,670,935;5,796,094; 6,396,397; 6,806,452; 6,690,268; 7,005,974; 7,937,667;7,123,168; 7,004,606; 6,946,978; 7,038,577; 6,353,392; 6,320,176;6,313,454 and/or 6,824,281, and/or International Publication Nos. WO2010/099416; WO 2011/028686 and/or WO 2013/016409, and/or U.S. Pat.Publication No. US 2010-0020170, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The camera or cameras maycomprise any suitable cameras or imaging sensors or camera modules, andmay utilize aspects of the cameras or sensors described in U.S.Publication No. US-2009-0244361 and/or U.S. Pat. Nos. 8,542,451;7,965,336 and/or 7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties. The imaging array sensor may comprise anysuitable sensor, and may utilize various imaging sensors or imagingarray sensors or cameras or the like, such as a CMOS imaging arraysensor, a CCD sensor or other sensors or the like, such as the typesdescribed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,715,093;5,877,897; 6,922,292; 6,757,109; 6,717,610; 6,590,719; 6,201,642;6,498,620; 5,796,094; 6,097,023; 6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261;6,806,452; 6,396,397; 6,822,563; 6,946,978; 7,339,149; 7,038,577;7,004,606; 7,720,580 and/or 7,965,336, and/or International PublicationNos. WO/2009/036176 and/or WO/2009/046268, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

The camera module and circuit chip or board and imaging sensor may beimplemented and operated in connection with various vehicularvision-based systems, and/or may be operable utilizing the principles ofsuch other vehicular systems, such as a vehicle headlamp control system,such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,796,094; 6,097,023;6,320,176; 6,559,435; 6,831,261; 7,004,606; 7,339,149 and/or 7,526,103,which are all hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a rain sensor, such as the types disclosed in commonlyassigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,353,392; 6,313,454; 6,320,176 and/or7,480,149, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties, a vehicle vision system, such as a forwardly, sidewardly orrearwardly directed vehicle vision system utilizing principles disclosedin U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,550,677; 5,670,935; 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 5,949,331;6,222,447; 6,302,545; 6,396,397; 6,498,620; 6,523,964; 6,611,202;6,201,642; 6,690,268; 6,717,610; 6,757,109; 6,802,617; 6,806,452;6,822,563; 6,891,563; 6,946,978 and/or 7,859,565, which are all herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties, a trailer hitchingaid or tow check system, such as the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No.7,005,974, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety, a reverse or sideward imaging system, such as for a lanechange assistance system or lane departure warning system or for a blindspot or object detection system, such as imaging or detection systems ofthe types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,881,496; 7,720,580; 7,038,577;5,929,786 and/or 5,786,772, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, a video device for internal cabinsurveillance and/or video telephone function, such as disclosed in U.S.Pat. Nos. 5,760,962; 5,877,897; 6,690,268 and/or 7,370,983, and/or U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, a traffic sign recognition system, asystem for determining a distance to a leading or trailing vehicle orobject, such as a system utilizing the principles disclosed in U.S. Pat.Nos. 6,396,397 and/or 7,123,168, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties, and/or the like.

Optionally, the circuit board or chip may include circuitry for theimaging array sensor and or other electronic accessories or features,such as by utilizing compass-on-a-chip or EC driver-on-a-chip technologyand aspects such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,255,451 and/or7,480,149, and/or U.S. Publication Nos. US-2006-0061008 and/orUS-2010-0097469, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties.

Optionally, the vision system may include a display for displayingimages captured by one or more of the imaging sensors for viewing by thedriver of the vehicle while the driver is normally operating thevehicle. Optionally, for example, the vision system may include a videodisplay device disposed at or in the interior rearview mirror assemblyof the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the video mirror displaysystems described in U.S. Pat. No. 6,690,268 and/or U.S. Publication No.US-2012-0162427, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference intheir entireties. The video mirror display may comprise any suitabledevices and systems and optionally may utilize aspects of the compassdisplay systems described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,370,983; 7,329,013;7,308,341; 7,289,037; 7,249,860; 7,004,593; 4,546,551; 5,699,044;4,953,305; 5,576,687; 5,632,092; 5,677,851; 5,708,410; 5,737,226;5,802,727; 5,878,370; 6,087,953; 6,173,508; 6,222,460; 6,513,252 and/or6,642,851, and/or European patent application, published Oct. 11, 2000under Publication No. EP 0 1043566, and/or U.S. Publication No.US-2006-0061008, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. Optionally, the video mirror display screen ordevice may be operable to display images captured by a rearward viewingcamera of the vehicle during a reversing maneuver of the vehicle (suchas responsive to the vehicle gear actuator being placed in a reversegear position or the like) to assist the driver in backing up thevehicle, and optionally may be operable to display the compass headingor directional heading character or icon when the vehicle is notundertaking a reversing maneuver, such as when the vehicle is beingdriven in a forward direction along a road (such as by utilizing aspectsof the display system described in International Publication No. WO2012/051500, which is hereby incorporated herein by reference in itsentirety).

Optionally, the vision system (utilizing the forward facing camera and arearward facing camera and other cameras disposed at the vehicle withexterior fields of view) may be part of or may provide a display of atop-down view or birds-eye view system of the vehicle or a surround viewat the vehicle, such as by utilizing aspects of the vision systemsdescribed in International Publication Nos. WO 2010/099416; WO2011/028686; WO 2012/075250; WO 2013/019795; WO 2012/075250; WO2012/145822; WO 2013/081985; WO 2013/086249 and/or WO 2013/109869,and/or U.S. Publication No. US-2012-0162427, which are herebyincorporated herein by reference in their entireties.

Optionally, a video mirror display may be disposed rearward of andbehind the reflective element assembly and may comprise a display suchas the types disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,530,240; 6,329,925;7,855,755; 7,626,749; 7,581,859; 7,446,650; 7,370,983; 7,338,177;7,274,501; 7,255,451; 7,195,381; 7,184,190; 5,668,663; 5,724,187 and/or6,690,268, and/or in U.S. Publication Nos. US-2006-0061008 and/orUS-2006-0050018, which are all hereby incorporated herein by referencein their entireties. The display is viewable through the reflectiveelement when the display is activated to display information. Thedisplay element may be any type of display element, such as a vacuumfluorescent (VF) display element, a light emitting diode (LED) displayelement, such as an organic light emitting diode (OLED) or an inorganiclight emitting diode, an electroluminescent (EL) display element, aliquid crystal display (LCD) element, a video screen display element orbacklit thin film transistor (TFT) display element or the like, and maybe operable to display various information (as discrete characters,icons or the like, or in a multi-pixel manner) to the driver of thevehicle, such as passenger side inflatable restraint (PSIR) information,tire pressure status, and/or the like. The mirror assembly and/ordisplay may utilize aspects described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,184,190;7,255,451; 7,446,924 and/or 7,338,177, which are all hereby incorporatedherein by reference in their entireties. The thicknesses and materialsof the coatings on the substrates of the reflective element may beselected to provide a desired color or tint to the mirror reflectiveelement, such as a blue colored reflector, such as is known in the artand such as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,910,854; 6,420,036 and/or7,274,501, which are hereby incorporated herein by reference in theirentireties.

Optionally, the display or displays and any associated user inputs maybe associated with various accessories or systems, such as, for example,a tire pressure monitoring system or a passenger air bag status or agarage door opening system or a telematics system or any other accessoryor system of the mirror assembly or of the vehicle or of an accessorymodule or console of the vehicle, such as an accessory module or consoleof the types described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,289,037; 6,877,888;6,824,281; 6,690,268; 6,672,744; 6,386,742 and/or 6,124,886, and/or U.S.Publication No. US-2006-0050018, which are hereby incorporated herein byreference in their entireties.

Changes and modifications in the specifically described embodiments canbe carried out without departing from the principles of the invention,which is intended to be limited only by the scope of the appendedclaims, as interpreted according to the principles of patent lawincluding the doctrine of equivalents.

1. A method for controlling a vehicle, said method comprising: providinga plurality of sensors at an equipped vehicle, the plurality of sensorssensing exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein the plurality ofsensors comprises an image sensor; capturing, via the plurality ofsensors, data; providing a data processor at the equipped vehicle forprocessing data captured by the plurality of sensors; determining, viaprocessing by the data processor of data captured by at least some ofthe plurality of sensors, information pertaining to distance to othervehicles present exterior the equipped vehicle; determining, viaprocessing by the data processor of data captured by at least some ofthe plurality of sensors, information pertaining to lane geometry of alane of a road along which the equipped vehicle is traveling; providingto the data processor information pertaining to at least one of (i)acceleration of the equipped vehicle, (ii) braking of the equippedvehicle and (iii) steering of the equipped vehicle; providing to thedata processor information identifying a driver operating the equippedvehicle; responsive to identification of the driver operating theequipped vehicle, controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance with apersonalized parameter set for the identified driver and in accordancewith data processing by the data processor; and wherein the providedpersonalized parameter set comprises at least one parameter selectedfrom the group consisting of (i) how rapidly a vehicle being driven bythe identified driver accelerates if a preceding vehicle changes laneand is no longer in the lane along which the vehicle being driven by theidentified driver is traveling, (ii) how aggressively a vehicle beingdriven by the identified driver decelerates after a cut-in by anothervehicle into the lane in which the vehicle being driven by theidentified driver is traveling, and (iii) how the speed of a vehiclebeing driven by the identified driver is adjusted responsive to a radiusof curvature of an upcoming road curve ahead of the vehicle being drivenby the identified driver.
 2. The method of claim 1, wherein controllingthe equipped vehicle in accordance with the personalized parameter setand in accordance with data processing by the data processor comprisescontrolling the equipped vehicle responsive to (i) determinedinformation pertaining to distance to other vehicles, (ii) determinedinformation pertaining to lane geometry, and (iii) provided informationpertaining to acceleration, braking and steering of the equippedvehicle.
 3. The method of claim 1, comprising creating the personalizedparameter set for the identified driver by learning, while theidentified driver is manually driving a vehicle on a road, at least oneparameter indicative of the identified driver's preference for operationof or use of at least one accessory or system of the vehicle.
 4. Themethod of claim 3, comprising learning, while the identified driver ismanually driving the vehicle on the road, the at least one parameterresponsive at least in part to at least one of (i) determinedinformation pertaining to distance to other vehicles, (ii) determinedinformation pertaining to lane geometry, and (iii) provided informationpertaining to acceleration, braking and steering of the vehicle.
 5. Themethod of claim 4, wherein the vehicle the driver is manually driving onthe road during learning is the equipped vehicle.
 6. The method of claim1, comprising determining, via processing by the data processor of datacaptured by at least some of the plurality of sensors, informationpertaining to an ambient light level at the equipped vehicle.
 7. Themethod of claim 1, comprising determining, via processing by the dataprocessor of data captured by at least some of the plurality of sensors,information pertaining to traffic signs present in the field of sensingof the plurality of sensors.
 8. The method of claim 1, comprisingdetermining, via processing by the data processor of data captured by atleast some of the plurality of sensors, information pertaining to a roadsurface characteristic of the road along which the equipped vehicle istraveling.
 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the data processorcomprises an image processor, and wherein determining informationpertaining to lane geometry comprises determining, via processing by theimage processor of image data captured by the image sensor, informationpertaining to lane geometry of the lane of the road along which theequipped vehicle is traveling.
 10. The method of claim 1, whereindetermining information pertaining to lane geometry comprisesdetermining, via processing by the data processor of data captured by atleast some of the plurality of sensors, information pertaining to awidth of the lane of the road along which the equipped vehicle istraveling.
 11. The method of claim 1, wherein determining informationpertaining to lane geometry comprises determining, via processing by thedata processor of data captured by at least some of the plurality ofsensors, information pertaining to road curvature ahead of the equippedvehicle.
 12. The method of claim 11, wherein the data processorcomprises an image processor, and wherein information pertaining to roadcurvature ahead of the equipped vehicle is established, at least inpart, by processing by the image processor of image data captured by theimage sensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the image sensorcomprises a forward viewing image sensor viewing forward of the equippedvehicle, and wherein the forward viewing image sensor is disposed at awindshield of the equipped vehicle and views through the windshield andforwardly in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle.13. The method of claim 1, comprising processing data received at thedata processor to create a personalized parameter set for a particularidentified driver based on how the identified driver operates theequipped vehicle during various driving conditions.
 14. The method ofclaim 1, wherein controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance with thepersonalized parameter set and in accordance with data processing by thedata processor comprises controlling the equipped vehicle in asemi-autonomous mode.
 15. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling theequipped vehicle in accordance with the personalized parameter set andin accordance with data processing by the data processor comprisescontrolling the equipped vehicle in an autonomous mode.
 16. The methodof claim 1, wherein controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance withthe personalized parameter set and in accordance with data processing bythe data processor comprises controlling the equipped vehicle while anadaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle is activated. 17.The method of claim 16, wherein the data processor comprises an imageprocessor, and wherein distance of the equipped vehicle behind a leadingvehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle is established, at least in part,by processing by the image processor of image data captured by the imagesensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the image sensorcomprises a forward viewing image sensor viewing forward of the equippedvehicle, and wherein the forward viewing image sensor is disposed at awindshield of the equipped vehicle and views through the windshield andforwardly in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle.18. The method of claim 17, wherein the personalized parameter setcomprises a preferred target following distance for the adaptive cruisecontrol system to use in establishing a distance of the equipped vehiclebehind a leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle.
 19. The methodof claim 18, comprising adjusting the preferred target followingdistance to maintain a safe following distance.
 20. The method of claim1, wherein the personalized parameter set comprises an accelerationpreference of the identified driver and a deceleration preference of theidentified driver.
 21. The method of claim 1, wherein controlling theequipped vehicle in accordance with the personalized parameter setcomprises at least one of (i) controlling a lane keep assist system ofthe equipped vehicle in accordance with the personalized parameter set,(ii) controlling a lane departure warning system of the equipped vehiclein accordance with the personalized parameter set and (iii) controllinga lane centering system of the equipped vehicle in accordance with thepersonalized parameter set.
 22. The method of claim 21, comprisinggenerating an alert or adjusting the steering of the equipped vehicleresponsive to a threshold level movement of the equipped vehicle towardsa lane marker or out of a lane in which the equipped vehicle istraveling.
 23. The method of claim 1, wherein the personalized parameterset comprises a plurality of parameters, and wherein said methodcomprises selecting an appropriate one of the plurality of parametersresponsive to a determined driving condition of the equipped vehicle.24. The method of claim 23, wherein the determined driving conditioncomprises a determined one of a daytime driving condition and anighttime driving condition.
 25. The method of claim 24, wherein thedetermined driving condition comprises a determined one of a dry drivingcondition, a rain driving condition and a snow driving condition. 26.The method of claim 1, wherein the personalized parameter set comprisesparameters for different driving conditions, and wherein the differentdriving conditions at least comprise different road conditions of a roadtravelled along by a vehicle driven by the identified driver.
 27. Themethod of claim 1, wherein the image sensor comprises a forward viewingimage sensor viewing forward of the equipped vehicle.
 28. The method ofclaim 27, wherein the forward viewing image sensor is disposed at awindshield of the equipped vehicle and views through the windshield andforwardly in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle.29. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a plurality of sensorscomprises providing a plurality of radar sensors at the equippedvehicle.
 30. The method of claim 1, wherein providing a plurality ofsensors comprises providing a plurality of image sensors at the equippedvehicle.
 31. A method for controlling a vehicle, said method comprising:providing a plurality of sensors at an equipped vehicle, the pluralityof sensors sensing exterior of the equipped vehicle; wherein theplurality of sensors comprises an image sensor and at least one sensorselected from the group consisting of a radar sensor and a lidar sensor;capturing, via the plurality of sensors, data; providing a dataprocessor at the equipped vehicle for processing data captured by theplurality of sensors; determining, via processing by the data processorof data captured by at least some of the plurality of sensors,information pertaining to distance to other vehicles present exteriorthe equipped vehicle; determining, via processing by the data processorof data captured by at least the image sensor of the plurality ofsensors, information pertaining to road curvature ahead of the equippedvehicle; providing to the data processor information pertaining to atleast one of (i) acceleration of the equipped vehicle, (ii) braking ofthe equipped vehicle and (iii) steering of the equipped vehicle;providing to the data processor information identifying a driveroperating the equipped vehicle; responsive to identification of thedriver operating the equipped vehicle, controlling the equipped vehiclein accordance with a personalized parameter set for the identifieddriver and in accordance with data processing by the data processor; andwherein the provided personalized parameter set comprises at least oneparameter selected from the group consisting of (i) how rapidly avehicle being driven by the identified driver accelerates if a precedingvehicle changes lane and is no longer in the lane along which thevehicle being driven by the identified driver is traveling, (ii) howaggressively a vehicle being driven by the identified driver deceleratesafter a cut-in by another vehicle into the lane in which the vehiclebeing driven by the identified driver is traveling, and (iii) how thespeed of a vehicle being driven by the identified driver is adjustedresponsive to a radius of curvature of an upcoming road curve ahead ofthe vehicle being driven by the identified driver.
 32. The method ofclaim 31, wherein controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance withthe personalized parameter set and in accordance with data processing bythe data processor comprises controlling the equipped vehicle responsiveto (i) determined information pertaining to distance to other vehicles,(ii) determined information pertaining to lane width, (iii) determinedinformation pertaining to road curvature and (iv) provided informationpertaining to acceleration, braking and steering of the equippedvehicle.
 33. The method of claim 31, comprising creating thepersonalized parameter set for the identified driver by learning, whilethe identified driver is manually driving a vehicle on a road, at leastone parameter indicative of the identified driver's preference foroperation of or use of at least one accessory or system of the vehicle.34. The method of claim 33, comprising learning, while the identifieddriver is manually driving the vehicle on the road, the at least oneparameter responsive at least in part to at least one of (i) determinedinformation pertaining to distance to other vehicles, (ii) determinedinformation pertaining to lane geometry, and (iii) provided informationpertaining to acceleration, braking and steering of the vehicle.
 35. Themethod of claim 34, wherein the vehicle the driver is manually drivingon the road during learning is the equipped vehicle.
 36. The method ofclaim 31, wherein the data processor comprises an image processor, andwherein distance of the equipped vehicle behind a leading vehicle aheadof the equipped vehicle is established, at least in part, by processingby the image processor of image data captured by the image sensor of theplurality of sensors, and wherein the image sensor comprises a forwardviewing image sensor viewing forward of the equipped vehicle, andwherein the forward viewing image sensor is disposed at a windshield ofthe equipped vehicle and views through the windshield and forwardly inthe direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle.
 37. The methodof claim 31, comprising determining, via processing by the dataprocessor of data captured by at least some of the plurality of sensors,information pertaining to an ambient light level at the equippedvehicle.
 38. The method of claim 31, comprising determining, viaprocessing by the data processor of data captured by at least some ofthe plurality of sensors, information pertaining to traffic signspresent in the field of sensing of the plurality of sensors.
 39. Themethod of claim 31, comprising determining, via processing by the dataprocessor of data captured by at least some of the plurality of sensors,information pertaining to a road surface characteristic of the roadalong which the equipped vehicle is traveling.
 40. The method of claim31, comprising determining, via processing by the data processor of datacaptured by at least the image sensor of the plurality of sensors,information pertaining to distance to other vehicles present exteriorthe equipped vehicle.
 41. The method of claim 31, comprisingdetermining, via processing by the data processor of data captured by atleast the image sensor of the plurality of sensors, informationpertaining to a width of the lane of the road along which the equippedvehicle is traveling.
 42. A method for controlling a vehicle, saidmethod comprising: providing a plurality of sensors at an equippedvehicle, the plurality of sensors sensing exterior of the equippedvehicle; wherein the plurality of sensors comprises an image sensor;capturing, via the plurality of sensors, data; providing a dataprocessor at the equipped vehicle for processing data captured by theplurality of sensors; determining, via processing by the data processorof data captured by at least some of the plurality of sensors,information pertaining to distance to other vehicles present exteriorthe equipped vehicle; determining, via processing by the data processorof data captured by at least the image sensor of the plurality ofsensors, information pertaining to lane geometry of a lane of the roadalong which the equipped vehicle is traveling; providing to the dataprocessor information pertaining to at least one of (i) acceleration ofthe equipped vehicle, (ii) braking of the equipped vehicle and (iii)steering of the equipped vehicle; providing to the data processorinformation identifying a driver operating the equipped vehicle;responsive to identification of the driver operating the equippedvehicle, controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance with apersonalized parameter set for the identified driver and in accordancewith data processing by the data processor; wherein the providedpersonalized parameter set comprises at least one parameter selectedfrom the group consisting of (i) how rapidly a vehicle being driven bythe identified driver accelerates if a preceding vehicle changes laneand is no longer in the lane along which the vehicle being driven by theidentified driver is traveling, (ii) how aggressively a vehicle beingdriven by the identified driver decelerates after a cut-in by anothervehicle into the lane in which the vehicle being driven by theidentified driver is traveling, and (iii) how the speed of a vehiclebeing driven by the identified driver is adjusted responsive to a radiusof curvature of an upcoming road curve ahead of the vehicle being drivenby the identified driver; wherein controlling the equipped vehicle inaccordance with the personalized parameter set and in accordance withdata processing by the data processor comprises controlling the equippedvehicle while an adaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicleis activated; and wherein the personalized parameter set comprises apreferred target following distance for the adaptive cruise controlsystem to use in establishing a distance of the equipped vehicle behinda leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle.
 43. The method of claim42, wherein controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance with thepersonalized parameter set and in accordance with data processing by thedata processor comprises controlling the equipped vehicle responsive to(i) determined information pertaining to distance to other vehicles,(ii) determined information pertaining to lane geometry, and (iii)provided information pertaining to acceleration, braking and steering ofthe equipped vehicle.
 44. The method of claim 42, comprising creatingthe personalized parameter set for the identified driver by learning,while the identified driver is manually driving a vehicle on a road, atleast one parameter indicative of the identified driver's preference foroperation of or use of at least one accessory or system of the vehicle.45. The method of claim 44, comprising learning, while the identifieddriver is manually driving the vehicle on the road, the at least oneparameter responsive at least in part to at least one of (i) determinedinformation pertaining to distance to other vehicles, (ii) determinedinformation pertaining to lane geometry, and (iii) provided informationpertaining to acceleration, braking and steering of the vehicle.
 46. Themethod of claim 45, wherein the vehicle the driver is manually drivingon the road during learning is the equipped vehicle.
 47. The method ofclaim 42, wherein controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance withthe personalized parameter set and in accordance with data processing bythe data processor comprises controlling the equipped vehicle while anadaptive cruise control system of the equipped vehicle is activated. 48.The method of claim 47, wherein the personalized parameter set comprisesa preferred target following distance for the adaptive cruise controlsystem to use in establishing a distance of the equipped vehicle behinda leading vehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle.
 49. The method of claim48, comprising adjusting the preferred target following distance tomaintain a safe following distance.
 50. The method of claim 42,comprising generating an alert or adjusting the steering of the equippedvehicle responsive to a threshold level movement of the equipped vehicletowards a lane marker or out of a lane in which the equipped vehicle istraveling.
 51. The method of claim 42, wherein providing a plurality ofsensors comprises providing a plurality of radar sensors at the equippedvehicle.
 52. The method of claim 42, wherein providing a plurality ofsensors comprises providing a plurality of image sensors at the equippedvehicle.
 53. The method of claim 42, wherein the personalized parameterset comprises an acceleration preference of the identified driver and adeceleration preference of the identified driver.
 54. The method ofclaim 42, wherein controlling the equipped vehicle in accordance withthe personalized parameter set comprises at least one of (i) controllinga lane keep assist system of the equipped vehicle in accordance with thepersonalized parameter set, (ii) controlling a lane departure warningsystem of the equipped vehicle in accordance with the personalizedparameter set and (iii) controlling a lane centering system of theequipped vehicle in accordance with the personalized parameter set. 55.The method of claim 42, wherein the personalized parameter set comprisesa preferred target following distance to maintain a predetermined safefollowing distance for a particular determined driving condition. 56.The method of claim 42, wherein the data processor comprises an imageprocessor, and wherein distance of the equipped vehicle behind a leadingvehicle ahead of the equipped vehicle is established, at least in part,by processing by the image processor of image data captured by the imagesensor of the plurality of sensors, and wherein the image sensorcomprises a forward viewing image sensor viewing forward of the equippedvehicle, and wherein the forward viewing image sensor is disposed at awindshield of the equipped vehicle and views through the windshield andforwardly in the direction of forward travel of the equipped vehicle.57. The method of claim 56, wherein determining information pertainingto lane geometry comprises determining, via processing by the imageprocessor of image data captured by the image sensor, informationpertaining to lane geometry of the lane of the road along which theequipped vehicle is traveling.